Though the goal is to figuratively push back time an hour, it is not a good idea to literally do it on clocks and watches.

"You never push the hand on a clock backwards an hour," said John Rives of The Clock Man clock repair shop in Worcester. Mr. Rives also cares for the tower clock in Worcester City Hall and other clock towers in the area.

Mr. Rives said people should not force clocks to go in a direction that they would not naturally go. "The hand would never go backwards. That includes simple quartz clocks. A lot of time it ruins the movement. It's better to take the battery out for an hour or advance it (clock or watch) 11 hours."

Mr. Rives plans to reset tower clocks on Monday. "It's something you can't do ahead of time," he said.

Daylight saving time was used in the United States during the first and second World Wars to save energy, but after each war, the country changed back to standard time. It was not until the 1960s that it was created as a national standard. The most recent change came in 2005, when the effective dates changed as part of the Energy Policy Act of 2005. Daylight saving time was changed from running from the first Sunday in April to the last Sunday in October, to running from the second Sunday in March to the first Sunday in November.

Natasha Murphy of Worcester said she knew the time change was coming because she saw it on Facebook.

"I knew it was a Sunday," Ms. Murphy said. "I just did not remember which Sunday."

Changing clocks also means changing batteries in smoke detectors, according to Northboro Fire Chief David M. Durgin and fire chiefs across the country.

Chief Durgin and the Federal Emergency Management Agency also recommend that smoke detectors, including hard-wired smoke detectors, be tested at least once a month along with replacing batteries at least twice a year.

"Every month we want you to push the test button and make sure they work," Chief Durgin said.

There have been significant power outages in many communities in Central Massachusetts in the past few years, Chief Durgin said, and that is why it is extremely important to make sure the back-up battery systems are working in hard-wired smoke detectors and batteries are fresh in standard smoke detectors.

Hard-wired smoke detectors are powered by a home's electrical system, but they usually have back-up batteries so the device can remain operational in a power outage, according to MEMA. Hard-wired smoke detectors still require regular monthly testing to ensure that both batteries and parts are functioning properly.

"We've had prolonged power outage situations, and that's why it's important to do this," Chief Durgin said.

The immediate difference the time change makes is it will seem lighter earlier in the morning and darker earlier in the evening. The amount of daylight also diminishes this month and deep into December. There were 10 hours and 27 minutes of daylight Nov. 1. By Christmas Eve, there will be nine hours and 15 minutes of daylight.

"It doesn't really affect me," said Scott Retallic of Worcester of the fall ritual. "You get used to it after a week or two. One thing I don't like is the shorter days. It gets dark too early."